Champaign sb. & a.

Forms: 5 champeyn(e, 5–7 -ayne, -aine, (6 chaumpain, -ayne, champeine, -ant, 6–7 -eigne, 7 champan), 6–9 -aigne, -ain, 7–9 champagne, 7– champaign. [ME. champayne, champaigne, a. OF. champaigne (= It. campagna, Sp. campaña, Pg. campanha):—L. Campānia ‘plain, level country,’ spec. the name of the rich and level province of Italy lying south-west of the Tiber, afterwards specially distinguished as Campagna de Roma; in later Latin (e.g., by Gregory of Tours, c. 575) applied to many similar tracts, and as a common noun; f. camp-us level field.

  Taken into Eng. not in the Norman or North Fr. form campaigne, but in that of central Fr. The pronunciation with tſ- and stress on first syllable is exemplified already in 14th c. in alliterative verse. The same accentuation is shown by all English poets from Shakespeare to Tennyson and Browning; but occasional instances with the stress on the second syllable appear in the 19th c., and some even identify the word in pronunciation with champagne, as if it were from modern French. Webster and Worcester have this pronunciation only.

  In the 16th c. there arose a variant champion, CHAMPIAN, which in the 17th c. was much more frequent than the normal form. In the 17th c. the mod.F. form campagne was introduced, and was at length established in a differentiated military sense: see CAMPAIGN.]

  A.  sb.

  1.  An expanse of level, open country, a plain; a level field; a clearing.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1226. To-warde Castelle Blanke he chesez hym the waye, Thurghe a faire champayne, undyr chalke hyllis.

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 125. After many journeyes and many wayes and champaynes trauersid.

a. 1500.  Chaucer’s Dreme, 2044. A large pleyne Under a wode, in a champeyne.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, I. i. 65. With shadowie Forrests, and with Champains rich’d.

1644.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 105. A plain and pleasant champain.

1814.  Cary, Dante’s Inf., XV. 124. Who o’er Verona’s champain try their speed For the green mantle.

1820.  Keats, Isabella, xliv. Looking round the champaign wide.

1832.  Tennyson, Œnone, 112. And riversundered champaign clothed with corn.

1844.  Emerson, Yng. Amer. (1875), II. 302. These rising grounds command the champaign below.

  2.  (without pl. or article.) as a species of land or landscape: Flat, open country, without hills, woods, or other impediments.

c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 241. In champeyne eke, and nygh the sees brynke.

1538.  Leland, Itin., II. 46. Thens 10 Miles al by Chaumpain … to Farington, standing in a stony Ground in the Decline of an Hille.

1671.  Milton, P. R., III. 257. Fair Champain with less rivers interveind. Ibid. (1682), Hist. Mosc., i. Wks. (1851), 473. The whole Country is Champain.

1868.  Gladstone, Juv. Mundi (1870), xv. 519. A hill-country is more beautiful to the eye than champaign.

  3.  The champaign (without pl.): a. the level, open country, in opposition to the mountains and woods; also, † b. the country, as opposed to town.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 169/1. She wente thenne into the champeyn to a cyte named Vorulana.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. i. 99. As well of the hils … as of the plaine and champain.

1640.  Sanderson, 12 Serm. ad Aul. (1681), II. 172. A Wild beast or a Thief may easily be discried in the open Champain.

1658.  R. White, trans. Digby’s Powd. Symp. (1660), 39. [In the town] Bands and Cuffs are fouled more in one day, than in ten in the Champain.

1828.  Scott, F. M. Perth, i. Where the mountains sink down upon the champaign, or more level land.

  † 4.  The open unenclosed land, as opposed to that partitioned into fields; the moor, fell, or down, unowned, or held in common possession; the common land; = CHAMPIAN 4. Obs.

1555.  Fardle Facions, Pref. A iij b. Thei now … conuerted the champeine to tillage, the plaines to pasture, [etc.].

1649.  G. Daniel, Trinarch., Rich. II., 180. Mount her hedge, T’ enioy the Champaigne; whilst another mournes In an enclosure.

1649.  Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. 34. The least turfe of hallowed glebe is with God himself of more value than all the Champaigne of Common possession.

  † 5.  The level open country as the chief scene of military operations; ‘the field.’ Obs.

1600.  Holland, Livy, III. viii. 93 b. The armie of the robbers … came downe into the champaine [campos], and spoyled the territories of Preneste and Gabes.

1628.  Hobbes, Thucyd., II. (1629), 93. Not to haue come downe all the time of his invasion, into the Champaigne.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 391. Philip, as soon as ever he was come out of the narrow wayes, into the open Champayne, was presently inclosed.

1875.  Merivale, Gen. Hist. Rome, xx. (1877), 130. Once arrived on the Italian champain, all his trials would be recompensed.

  † b.  Hence, A field of battle; a battle-field.

1614.  Raleigh, Hist. World, II. V. iii. 535. To wish any second victorie, in the naked Champans about Cannæ.

1615.  Heywood, 4 Prentises, I. Wks. 1874, II. 221. Your bloods these champaines shall embrue.

1715–20.  Pope, Iliad, XVI. 959. His bounding helmet on the champain rung.

1790.  Cowper, Iliad, X. 58. The bloody champain strew’d with arms.

a. 1845.  Barham, Ingol. Leg. (1877), 357. The shrill tones of a trumpet were heard to sound thrice from the champaign.

  † c.  A military expedition into the field; = CAMPAIGN 3. Obs.

1684.  Scanderbeg Rediv., vi. 142. Attended his Father this Champaign, to instruct himself under so great a Master in the Rudiments of War.

  6.  transf. a. Open or level expanse; cf. field.

1656.  H. More, Antid. Ath., II. iv. 50. To view those Campos natantes … that vast Champain of Water, the Ocean.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 2. All night the dreadless Angel … Through Heav’ns wide champain held his way.

1679.  [C. Cotton], The Confinement: a Poem, 8.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxii. (1854), 281. A broad champaigne of undulating ice.

  b.  Even unruffled surface.

1836.  Random Recoll. Ho. Lords, xiii. 288. The tranquil champaign of his face is seldom troubled by anything in the shape of undue warmth or excitement.

  7.  fig. ‘Field’ (of view, observation, research, etc.); expanse.

[1596–1631:  see CHAMPIAN 6.]

1641.  Milton, Animadv. (1851), 202. To bid you the base through the wide and dusty Champaine of the Councels.

1838–9.  Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. III. iii. § 33. Sweeping round the champaign of universal science.

1863.  Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xvi. 379. Indicating the poet’s comprehension of the whole champaign, as it were, of a character. Ibid., xvi. 392. Slowly spreading in an inert ooze over the social champaign.

  B.  adj. (or attrib. use of sb.)

  † 1.  Of the open unenclosed country; of the common land. Obs. See CHAMPIAN B. 3.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, V. xxvi. (1554), 139 a. In departing of chaumpayne heritages Atwene the worthy and poore.

  2.  Of the nature of a champaign; level and open; free from hills, woods, enclosures, etc.

[1523–1736:  see CHAMPIAN B. 1.]

1575.  Turberv., Venerie, 118. Then he breaketh over the champaigne countries.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 185 b. You see … howe champaine a plaine lyeth open for me.

1635.  N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., II. x. 178. A Champain [printed Champian] Region is a space of Land either altogether voide, or scarce furnished with trees.

1725.  Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Surveying, To take the Plot of, a large Champain Field.

1727.  A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., II. xxxvii. 59. The Temple stands on an high champain Ground.

1867.  Rawlinson, Anc. Mon., IV. i. 33. This tract … was, compared with Armenia, champaign and level.

  3.  a. Of the field or open country, field-. b. Of champaign land.

1599.  Minsheu, Sp. Dict., s.v. Campál, Batálla campál, a champaine warre.

1649.  G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., cxciii. Not as they had fought A well-fram’d Champaigne Battle.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., IV. 821. The coursers for the champaign sports.

1847.  Disraeli, Tancred, I. iv. (1871), 22. The land … presents … a champaign view.

1863.  Hawthorne, Old Home, Recoll. Gifted Wom. (1879), 104. Glimpses of champaign scenery.